Category: Personal

The 11th item in my Bucket List


Kick It on the Daily Post asks What’s the 11th item on my bucket list??
First let me explain the meaning of Bucket List. A Bucket List is an experience or achievement a person would like to achieve in his/her life time.

So, What’s the 11th item on my bucket list?

My 11th Bucket List is to spend one full year of my life by just bartering my needs. That means I don’t work for money. Instead I would barter my professional service to fulfill my needs.

  
That made me think what all I need in a day / week / month of the year and how I could barter for those needs??

  • Every day I can host guests at my house as a barter for breakfast, lunch & dinner!
  • I can carpool people to spots I want to travel as a barter for GAS.
  • In a month I can buy groceries for 10 house hold as a barter for getting me groceries.
  • Every evening I can offer tutoring service as a barter for paying my electricity bills.
  • I can write promotional blogs as a barter for apparels.

Couldn’t think of more personal needs!! But I’d love to see more comment on list of things I forgot to list and I can come with the barter I can offer for that!!!

Iridiam Movie Experience – Retrospection



The entire idea of producing a movie was a long term dream of my close buddy Saravanan. Every time he came with the idea I ridiculed him.

But his perseverance paid and full marks for making his dream come true.

When he started there was hardly any money with him. He was able to get some initial funding which was sufficient for run the show for 3-4 months from a friend. He opened an office and start the discussion with that initial seed money.

Once he had the office and a script on hand he stated getting resources falling in place.

First was our Hero cum investor. Then every friends started contributing at every stage. Infact my contribution came during the post production part.

For a movie which started with a budget of 80 lakhs(8 million INR) got completed on a budget of 1.5 crore(15 million INR).

It all happened because of contribution from 13 individuals who all invested either for passion, interest on movies, business interest and personal relationship.

This experience thought me a lot of lessons;

  • Always keep asking for help be it investment or resources. Mostly it comes from unexpected sources than from expected ones.
  • If you start with dedication & perceivarance, resources will follow.
  • Lead and keep the investors on control. All 13 investors had 13 different interest and view point. If not for Saravanan’s adamant approach things would’ve fallen apart.

Finally I saw a what a person with dream and dedication can achieve without any money or resources.

He never gave up for rediculing, criticism, demotivation and threat. He has become a case study for producing a movie and releasing it. 

Though the movie bommed at the box office. I tame pride in being associated with the Movie Indistry and there is lots of take always!!!

I must thank Saravanan for pushing me to be a part of the movie. Sadly he is again critised for the failure of the movie.

All I can tell you is you have Made it Buddy!!! I’m proud of you and I’m with you!!!

NEFT not working with State Bank of India Mobile Application


NEFT Not Working on Mobile APP:

For last two days I couldn’t make NEFT transfers from my SBI Mobile APP!! I had to make my Credit Card Payment!!!

Here is the message it throws when I try to make the payment!!!

  
There was some issue with the app and for two days it didn’t get resolved!!! 

Now this unreliability would have made me to delay my credit card payment in spite of having sufficient funds with me but left with no option to transfer of withdraw!!!

Then my wife had some funds in her other bank account and I ended up making the payment!!

This is the last straw reason for me to move away from SBI!!!

But what makes me wonder is how could this bank maintain the status No.1 bank in India??

  • Their customer service is pathetic!!!
  • Their banking process is complicated!!!
  • Their technology adoption is slow!!!
  • Their technology latency rate is high!!
  • Too much of corruption!!!

It’s no wonder why most of the Nationalised banks are suffering and SBI is not far from that!!!

Criticising an entrepreneur yields empty reaction!!! Babeeee!!!!!! 



Today I’ve been criticised for a lot of my decisions and for the not soo favourable  results!!!

Criticism One

I purchased our car from a different dealer instead of the dealer you have recommended!!!

The result is the car stopped abruptly while driving!!! It took 5 breakdowns & a year to fix the issue, of which couple of breakdowns have been charged by the dealer!!

Criticism Two

I didn’t do a proper due diligance while applying for a home loan!!! This inspite of you telling not to go with a particular bank!!!

Criticism Three

I ventured into Cinema Production against your wish and against your warning!!! Eventually the movie flopped and it was a bomb in the box office!!!

Criticism Four

I’m working on the Coffee Shop project again in spite of your concerns for availibility of time to manage it!!!

Though I’ve my own reasons and explanation for all the criticism, I don’t want to make it a normal affair by justifying my decisions!!!

Let me confess that;

  • I’ve taken wrong decisions, but I progressed in some direction instead of doing nothing!!!
  • I failed, but I learned my lessons!!!
  • I risked, after all life without risk is a dream!!!
  • I over-stretched, if not how can I push myself to excellence!!!

Also I’d like to remind you a point… Never criticise an entrepreneur… It will only make his resolve and perceivarance more stronger!!!

Please do understand that “Ship is safe on the shores, but it is not built for that”!!

Likewise an entrepreneur is safe doing nothing, but their genes are not tuned for that!!!

But I’d like to thank you for kindling my resolve to succeed against the odds!!!

Let me close it with my favourite number from Akon!!!

As life goes on I’m starting to learn more and more about responsibility
And I realize everything I do is affecting the people around me
So I want to take this time out to apologize for things that I’ve done
And things that haven’t occurred yet
And the things they don’t want to take responsibility for

You can put the blame on me
Said you can put the blame on me
You can put the blame on me

The key to success!!!



Knowingly or Unknowingly all my business ventures have been launched before I ready!!

My first venture Agriya;

  • It was started even before I was out of college!!!
  • Never possessed any technical or interpersonal skills!!! 
  • Could call myself a fresher entrepreneur!!

This was a turning point not in my life but also for a bunch of friends and acquaintances who started their own ventures looking at the success of my first venture!!!

My second venture People Justice Magazine!!!

  • Started at the age of 24!!!
  • No idea on how to run a magazine and that too a Tamil one!!!
  • No expertise on collecting news!!!
  • No experience in editorial!!!

The venture failed as I was not full time into it!!! Also the team I formed didn’t connect with the vision I carried!!! I wanted to go digital during 2005 and the team collapsed for the same reason!!! Today it would have been a great if we have changed!!! Anyway the learnings and connects it gave me was stupendous!!! Also we were able to print magazines for 2 years!!!

My third venture Cogzidel Technologies!!!

  • Started at a time I was broke mentally and monetarily!!!
  • Was running through multiple legal battles!!!
  • Wanted to take a spiritual break but couldn’t!!!

Still running the Show!!! Not reached the heights I anticipated!!! But able to run so far and I’m ready to take a great leap!!

My third venture Cogzidel Consultancy Services!!!

  • Started at a time I was broke mentally and monetarily!!!
  • Was running through multiple legal challenges!!!
  • Wanted to take a spiritual break but couldn’t!!!
  • No idea on what to do & how to do with this venture!!
  • Just started with my pain points but was lacking the operation knowledge!!!
  • My partner Bala was lacking the business knowledge and he was not ready too!!!

Today this company is our identity in India!!! Almost every Startups in Chennai should be aware of CCS!!! In less than a year we got the business & operational knowledge and we are working on great things!!!

My fourth venture Movie Production!!!

  • Didn’t know anything about the industry!!!
  • Didn’t have any capital when we started!!!

The movie flopped miserably!!! But I wouldn’t consider it a loss as it was a crowd funded movie and the loss can be substantiated for the experience of being  associated with the industry!!! 

Also can’t call it a failure yet as I’m on a sabbatical and planning to venture back!! This time not as a producer but as a distributor!!!

But in every case I was not ready with Capital or Experience or Knowledge or Team or any other aspects… But as I perceived everything fell in line and things happened!!!

So, I’d tell anyone running behind SUCCESS to blindly believe in the quote!!

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO START BEFORE YOU’RE READY!!!

Is it possible to buy a property from fisherman hamlet???


  Got a good deal for a small sea facing house with 5-6 coconut trees!!! I’ve some commercial ideas to monitise with the property!!! 

These are some info about the property;

  • Property is located at 20 yards from sea!!
  • It is on a fishermen hamlet!!!
  • The owner has just two government certificates for ownership. There is no agreement on a stamp paper or parent documents or sale deed!!!
  • Owner is a fisherman himself!!!

Not sure if such a property could be purchased by someone who is not a fisherman???

Is it safe to buy a property without parent document or a sale deed???

Let me know if you have knowledge of purchase of such properties!!!

How to align with Mother’s & Wife’s priorities with my priority??


This is one topic which I was feeling hesitant to write it out!!! Finally decided to go ahead with an assumption that some experienced hand can guide me!!!

It was planned a month back that my wife and I would be in Chennai during Pongal and complete all our bank related work… As always there was some change in plan and her visit to Chennai has been pushed to second week of February!!

So, I’ve filled forms and collected all necessary documents, got it signed by my wife and came to Chennai to complete the banking work!!! 

Upon submission of all the forms and documents to the bank there were request for some additional documents which has to be signed by my wife!!

Then I had to get this completed by having to & fro movement of documents to get the task completed!! For a task which could have been completed easily if my wife had been in person, took me 3-4 addition days with physical and mental stress added to it!!

Then I’ve planned of taking my mother to Madurai & Bangalore coming week to complete our obligation out there!!!

She agreed to make it up this week!! Now she wants to work on her pension and she has asked me to plan some other day to work Madurai & Bangalore priorities!!!

Unfortunately they fail to understand that I had to balance my professional & personal time!! I’ve planned to work from home for last week and coming week to concentrate on my personal work!!! 

Now lack of understanding and support has collapsed my plans!!! They get angry on me when I push them to align with my plans!!!

Finally I could complete last weeks work with unnecessary difficulty and cancelled the plans with I had with mother!!!

Really struggling to align the two important women of mine to travel along with me!!!

Fastest Development of a Locality


Coimbatore is one city which I admire a lot and also thought of getting settled sometime soon… In Coimbatore, Vadavalli was my favorate locality…

I first went to Vadavalli during 2010, when my friend Nanda moved his office NDot… For next two years I’ve frequented this locality often and thought of buying a property & even thought of setting Naturals Beauty Salon franchisee…

I always enjoyed my drive from Agri University till Marudamalai…

Because of my busy business schedule during 2012 & personal commitments during 2013, I couldn’t frequent Coimbatore…

I was going to Tusker Valley Resort through this locality yesterday I was was startled at the development… I’ve never see such a blasting & fast development even in Chennai or Bangalore…

Personally I’m saddened as I lost a locality which is for sure gonna unlovable & unliveable…

Moving to Old Food Habits


  
That is Karupatti (Palm Jaggery) which is what my a sisters used for sweetening food!! It is Natural and has lots of health benefits!!! Some of the benefits are;

  • It helps in Digestion!!
  • He cleanses the body from unnecessary particles!!
  • It is a remedy for caugh, dry caugh and cold to my knowledge!!!
  • It is rich in minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous!!

Started the practice of using Palm Jaggery in milk & juice!!! It is somewhat different to the taste buds, but want to perceive with this considering the health benefits!!

I Support Jallikattu


  
The sport has been symbol of Tamil tradition for a long time!! 

Has anyone linked to ban of Jallikattu seen how these Bulls are taken care of??? 

Not sure where these so called animal lovers are when these animals are killed and served as beef??

These animals are openly smuggled to Kerela and being killed!!

There are lacks of deserted cow’s that eat garbage!!! How many are rescued and rehabilitated??

Also the judiciary which has no connect with emotions of people has passed a judgement which is only going to take people’s trust on Judiciary & Judges further down!!!

Finally we are not going to bow down easily!!! We will take every means to continue with our tradition and pride!!!